Elevator system



Sept. 30, 1952 1 A. F. ANGELICOLA 2,612,238

` ELEV'ATOR SYSTEM Filed Dec. 31, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet l Hora ey Sept. 30;/952 A. F. ANGELlcoLA ELEVATOR SYSTEM l 4 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Dec. `5l, 1949 Sept- 30, 1952 A,- F. ANGELICOL 2 2,612,238

ELEVATOR SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 3l, 1949 Sept. 30, 1952 A. F. ANGELlcoLA 2,612,238

ELEvAToR SYSTEM Filed Dec. :51, 1949 4 sheets-sheetl 4 a im I Il;

L iMQ IN VEN TOR.

Affar/z y Patented Sept. 305 i952 v9 claims. (crisi- 16) l IThe presentinvention relates to a railroad sys- -tem so constructed and arranged that it may be i installed as an el'evatorsystem in a building.

My invention contemplates the provision of an elevator 'system for a building in which any elevator car may travel independently of any 'other carin the same direction of travel and in the same shaftway. f

" The-present invention contemplates the proi -vision of an elevatornsystem having a plurality 'of ishaftways in which a pluralityy of cars may travel in the same direction independently of one another; a rst mentioned vertical shaftway :in which the-cars ascend between the floors of ther building, i aV second mentioned vertical shaftway inwhich the same cars descend in the building, a rst mentioned horizontal shaftway at the l return to the rst shaftway'for a repeated ascent of the building and travel-around the elevator system. Thus, an elevator car may be operated in` acontinuous path around a continuous shaftway or trackway thereby eliminating the neces-f sity of thecar travelingin vtwo different directions (up Aand down) in the same shaftway.

The present invention'thus permits a plurality of cars to travel independentlyof each other in :the same shaftway and in ,the same direction topfof the building in which the cars are transi --ferred from the nrstvertical shaftway` to the betweenv the floors of the building vthereby elimiynating the conventional and usual multiplicity or bank of shaftways in'each of whichshaftways .a single car travels both -in the up and down direction. Thus, theflexibility and speed of servrice provided by a bank of elevator carsv will be f obtained by my elevatorsystem in which more than one car isy operated in the same shaftway.

The present invention further. contemplates the provision of switches whichv function so-that each car can travel only in one direction 1in a lvertical shaftway. These switches arev arranged and constructed so that they are operated by 'the car that is being transferred from one vertical shaitway to the other vertical shaitway to I open the particular horizontal or transfer shaft- .way which connects them and which is normally closed; whereby movement-of the elevator car from the one vertical shaftway to the 'other vertical'shaftway is permitted. After the elevator-'car has moved away from the rswitchminto position for its further movement in the-other shaftway to which it has sought transfer, the switch isreleased and spontaneously returns to its normal position to again close this horizontal g or transfer shaftway to thereby block return of the car to the shaftway from which it has emerged at the point of emergence.

, The present invention further contemplates the provision of such an elevator system in which cutting offthe power to Athe motor of the succeeding car,"blo,cking oil the progress of the succeeding car or otherwise preventing aI succeeding carfrom approaching a preceding car any closer than a selected or pre-established rdistance without the full knowledgev of the, operator ofv the succeeding Car., g y A ,Thev present invention-.still furthercontemplates the provision in an elevator ysystemof van elevator car. that isnot raised and` lowered by means of a cable orof a piston, but is provided with its own` power plant which move'sthe-c'ar through gearA means of `thefrack and. pinion l principle. s

Since in myk elevator system ,a plurality ...cf ca-rs may concurrently ascend in one: shaitway and concurrently descend in anotherv shaftway independently of each other, no cable or counterweight is used. In prior elevator systems,v the counter-weight used becomesproportional tothe load in the-',car. If the counter-weight. isoverloaded, it has a tendency to permit the carto drop and ifv it is underloaded, there-is a-tendency for the car to rise. n y

Indistinction, in an the present invention, I propose driving the elevator car by means of power gear, idlers and lracks or cog rails. Thus, in vertical operationen oppositesdes-of the car, a power gear engages one of the cog rails or racks mounted in the shaitway whether the elevator car is overloaded or underloaded, which would not be true wherea counterweight is used.

The present invention still furtherf contem-- plates the provision of a storage space for cars which are not required in operation. Such stor- :age yards may be located at any convenient point reachable by a transfer track, for example, at

, the highest and at the lowest levels ofthe shaftways, or either. f n Y These, other and further objects and advantages of my invention will be clear from the following Idescription iand the drawings appended thereto, in which:

elevator systeme'mbodying Fig. 2 is a side elevation and partial sectionl of a power cut-off lever that may be used in the practice of my invention.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1,'

broken away to condense the drawing.

Fig. 4 is a View on the line 4-4 of Fig. `5 broken away to condense the drawing.

Fig. 5 is a schematic 'partial view oi the two VAvertical shafjtways, the horizontal y transfer shaftway, the carV `directional in'o'vement transfer switchv at'the top level 'and illustrating th'edifferent positions assumed 4'by tlf-'ie driving gears Yor Pfllflions andlidler2 ,gears as they move Vor- 1 the curved'portions 'of the cog -railor rack,

. .,Fi'g. Gis' a. similar.schematicpartial viewat the lowermostilevel. v v

Fig. 7 'is a View on the line 'l'f-'l ofvLFig. -6. Fig. .8 .is a view on `the lmet-+8 0f Fis. 6. A Fig. 9 Ais a view 'on the 'line 49--9 of Fig. `Y.5,

Fig. l0' is a View onl the linel I0I0` of Fig. V5. ".Fig. v11 "is a similar view withthe transfer switchin openjposition. p Reference shall Vnow bemade to the drawings, in which it will be understood tha-t only vso much of Vfthe details of construction --are illustrated and described as will jbe necessary Yfor an 'understanding of my invention, and Ignore particularly toFig `1. n l

IIn'the drawings and description, my invention 'is villustrated as applied to an elevato-r system installed in a building having a plurality of floors, `indicated-generally'by the reference character 1'0 yand any particular or -specic sfiaw :by such `referencecharacter F0 accompanied by a designatedjletter. *I

Avez-tical shaftway Vxlf2 provided for the -elevator .'crarewheniascending the building lwhich elevator car is indicated =by l-the reference character lg4, and also -when referring to Ithe carat -a 'speci-lic #position -in Ithe 'building by -rsuch lAreference character I4 accompanied '-by ajparticular `lletter. `To'transfer-the car |54 so that its movementaround the I'building will ibe continuous, I provide the system of shaftways which 'I shall fnow' describe The l'car t4 is -rnoved lupwardly 'in the direction of 'the arrow 15 Ainto/'the down "shaftway I6 lthrough `the horizontal or 'transfer shaftway itilocated fat -the topof the buildin-g.

` ,fAt kthe bottom -of `the `building, .a second 'hori- VAzontal -shaftway Lis 'provided through .which jthe carlis transferred :from VLthe kvertical ishaft-v tway t6 ltothe vertical -shaitway I2 -in position to V'again asc'endthebuilding'.

`Thus, there is-providedacontinuous shaftway around lwhich la Lcar -may travel up and down Vin =a"building which it serves.

lIt -will lhe understood `that "these horizontal "-sha'ftways t8 and 20 arelong-enoughso thatfthey HIVprovi-de storage nspaces i9 and r'2| (which Ineed not be llustratedin detail since theywill besimi f'larto -the -shaftways from *which 'theycontinue) "-in whichl lspare `-*ca-rs 4 or' those not inoperation maybestoredfor-useWhenrequired.

*Each 'car LVM is provided with --a self-contained 'fdrivingfmotor 2'2 l"(seeflig. f3) lvhavingthe con- Current -is -supplied "for operation of this motor through the contact-shoes*24,?which rareof 'a 'conventional -type yfand which engage "throughout the travel-of theear i 4 the third rails l 'which are f located in the -shaftways l and# suitably insulated.

the bearings 34 and 36, supported in the sides of the car I4.

On each side of the car, inclined carrying members 3\8and. 4j l-n1ay be mounted to provide desirable rigidity to the cai'.

The :carrying 'members may be formed from conventional angle irons and mounted in the sides of the car.

The car is driven by vthe motor 22 and a driving uni-t on each vsidezof car. driving -unit `onone side of *the .car .comprises vthe driving geen'v 4-2 and Ithefidflergear. 4.4 and on :theother side the driving gear-Maand vidlergeai-"At 1 Thegear -42 engages the .cog trail .or rack 50 which is mountedon .the I beam 52 inthe-.11p or ascending shaft-,way I2 .and the idler/gear yI4 engages the opposed cog rail or -rac-k 54 mounted on I beam Y515. yOn the other side .of the -up or ascending' shaftway .l-2,`the .driving gear A6 .engages the cograil or rack v58 `mounted .on `the 'I beam 60 andthe idler gea-r 48 .engages thecog railorrack `62 mounted on the I lbeam :64.

r*Ilhe gear 42 is integral with lthe .inner smaller diameterge'ar 66 and the idler .gear 44 is integral withv the inner smallerv diameter Jidler gear 68. @n the otherlside of the car, vthe -drivinggearA is integralwith thesmaller diameter gear '10 and the idler gear r48 is integral with theUsma-llerdi ameter `idler gear 12. 'VI shall hereinbelow .de-

Y'scribe the purposes lfor which these smallerdiamete;- `gears aroused. v

IThe driving Igear or vp inion 42 is set on lthe countersh-aft 32 which Iis mounted `tlflroug-h #the bearing Y34 in the inclined :members 38 and .40. On fthe kother'side of -the -car |14 the -driving :gear or -pi-nion46 -is also set on fthe said countershaft 62, which @is here lmounted through bearing 36 in the incl-ined mem-bers 14 and flo. -The purpose of inclining these `lmembers will 'fbecome apparentinmylater description.

.The mo-tor :22 ythrough -the worm .'28 vand .gear 30 rotates -the countershaft ,to drive the .car 14 .driving the gears or pinions 42 and .46 landthe idler gears A44 Iand Mi `which raise or lower .the car fas' a unit -on the .cog rails Vor `racks -in the manner .of double rack .and -pinion assemblies, asalshallfurther describeindetail.

Since the ypower gearsl or pinions .42 and 46. i-n-the movement of the car i4, are-rotatedon the =cog-ra-ils or yracks 250 and 58 :in one direction,-the `riellergears 44 and-48 on -Vthe other cog rails or racks 54 and 62 'inthe 4opposite direction, --these units in addition Aconstitute the equivalent of a counterweigh-t for the eleva-tor car. LBy reason of this construct-ion, comparatively .smooth operationofithe car islobtaied irrespective o f whether the elevator car is over-loaded or underloaded. Occupants of the-car, constructedfand operated in accordance with the present invention, do not experience an unpleasant sensationwhen the car -the elevator car. It should -be -noted that the shaft t8 vori-which vthe idler gears are mou-nted,-;is

positionedhigherthan lthei's'haft 32,011 Whiohthe driving gears-or -pinions are mounted.

-Electrioa1 -power is supplied yto the motor '22 from the third `rail u25 .to rotate the countershaft '32 andconsequently the gear-s or .pinions-Z and wend through them :the idler gears 44 ,and-48,

'v driving the car I4 on the cog rails or racks in the vertical up shaftway I2 and vertical down shaftway IB. When the car is transferred from the shaftway I2 to the shaftway I6, along the upper horizontal shaftway I8 and returned from the f.

shaftway I6 to the shaftway I2. along the lower horizontal shaftway 28, the idler gears 44 and 48 do not engage a cog rail or rack, whichis omitted in these horizontal shaftways. y

To prevent a succeeding car from running into a car that is preceding it in the same shaftway, in addition to the usual signals ordinarily used, I provide means for effectively and automatically shutting off power to the section of the third rail in rear of the preceding car by direct and by remote control operating the electrical switch 80.

The means illustrated in Fig. 2 may bevused for interlocking operation as well as for an emergency manual operation.

At suitable points in the installation, 1 locate ,an electrical switch 80 through which Vcurrent is supplied to or cut off from the predetermined section of the third rail.

At each oor I0, I mount an interlocking power cut--oif lever 8l (see Fig. 2).

y These power cut-ofi levers BI are pivoted Vat 8'2 in the shaftways and comprise a lower element 84 (below the pivot 82) and an upper velement 86 (above the pivot 82).

On the outer side of the driving gears 42 and 4B, I mount the ring 88 which, as the car moves in the proper direction in the shaftway,` engages a power cut-oi lever BI, referring now to Fig. l and more particularly to Fig. 2, for the'purposes Ythat I shall now describe.

To understand the operation of the cut-off lever 8I, reference is now made to the schematic view illustrated in'Fig. 2. As the car ascends the shaftway I2, upon clearing the pivot 82, the ring 88 is brought into engagement with the up- 'per element 86 of a power cut-off lever 8|, positioned at the proper interval in the shaftway.y

The lower element 84 is brought away from a switch (in Fig. 2 indicated by the reference character 80a) to open or break the circuit to that section 90 of the third rail below the pivot 82 and which section of-the shaftway I2 the car is then leaving. It will be recognized that the power tering the shaftway in which the section 98 is located since power thereto has been cut off by the action of the car in the particular power cutoff lever 8| zone, controlling power to those sec tions of the third rail in the shaftway in which a car has left and another is entering. A succeeding car is thereby prevented from approaching the preceding car any closer than the pre-established distance, the length ofthe vthird rail section 90.

It will ofA course be understod that switches 80 are of the make andbreak type and that levers 8I are interlocking; that is, a circuit to a succeeding third rail section is opened just prior to closing the circuit to the preceding third rail section.

'Io permit a reasonable tolerance in the operation of a car I4, a pair of opposed guide rails Y. 84 and 96 are mounted in the shaftways (see cut-off lever 8l is rotated in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot 82 (as viewed in Fig. 2, vthe left part thereof from the broken lines to the full lines). n

It will be understood that the normal position ofthe power cut-off lever 8| is such that the rst or lower element 84 normally keeps the -power switch 80a closed and the section of the third rail it controls, alive with power; that, upon ring E38-.coming inA contact With the second or upper element 86, the lever 8| rotates in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot 82';`and that, upon ring 88 clearing the tip of the said second or upper element 88, the said power cut-off lever 8I automatically returns to its normal position.

As the car continues to move upward in the shaft I2 and clears the second or upper element 86, it (the upper element) is now automatically rotated in a clockwise direction, concurrently the iirst or lower element 84 is rotated in a similar (clockwise) direction against the switch 80a to close it and thus energize the section of the third rail it controls.

However, the first or lower element 84 of that particular power cut-off lever is rotated in a counterclockwise direction away from the switch 80a thereby cutting 01T power to the section 90 Figs. 3 and 4) on each side thereof. At the lower end of each carrying member 38 and 40,

Y-Imount a guide wheel 98 and IDU, which ride on the guide rails 94 and 88, holding the car in a vertical position and'preventing its swaying in the shaft. It will ofcourse be understood that similar guide rails are vprovided on the other side of the shaftway, in which similar guide wheels,

mounted on the car, operate.

The inner guide rail 94 (as viewed in Fig. 1vv to the left thereof) in the up shaftway I2 continues as the horizontal guide rail 84o along the transfer shaftway I8, and then into alignment with a guide rail 98c in the upper storage space I9. 'I'his horizontal rail 96o in the upper storage space I9 .continues into the outer guide rail 96d' in the down shaftway I8 (as viewed to the left in Fig. l) which outer guide rail 96d continues into the horizontal guide rail 98j at the bottom of the lower horizontal shaftway 20. This horizontal guide rail 96j continues into the guide rail 96j at the bottom of the lower storage space 2l. The guide rail 94h in the transfer shaftway I8 continues into theinner guide rail 94d (as viewed in Fig. l to the right thereof) of the down shaftway I6.

When the car I4 is operated in `the vertical up shaftway I2, it rides on the larger diameter .driving gears` 42 and 46 along the cog rail or When the car I4 is operated in the ulpr `horizontal shaftway I8, it rides on the driving gears 42 and 48 along the horizontal cog rail or rack 50o (Figs. l land 5) and a similar horizontal cog rail or rack on the other side of the shaftway I8 and which need not be shown. The idler gears 44 and 48 in this shaftway do not engage a corresponding horizontal cog rail or rack since they are not required for horizontal operation of the car. o

vWhen the car I4 `is operated in the vertical down shaftway I6, it rides on the larger diameter driving gears 42 and 48 along the'cog rail or rack 58d, the idler gears 44 and 48 riding along the cog rail or rack 58d and a similar cog rail or rack .fanfares -gage a A'corresponding cog. rail for rack;v infthis Y bottom yorf 'the 'building through the 'down lshaftway :I6 it :must negotiate va curved section of 'tlackz The 'outer 'sect-ion 58a 'of the 'curved 'track (to the rights :of :Fi-gs. ll.y and-) has a larger .radius of llcurvature than that'of theinner sectionea of the vcuri/'edinfack.

In order that the car I4 can negotiate the curves when passing .from the vertical to 'the horizontal y:position and vice versa, I provide the .integral smaller diameterk driving .gears cfg pinions -66 and-III) Iand *the inn-ersmaller idler 4gears 68 `and 112; "f j :At `the .line vci? tangency |'I8 '(seeFig. 5) of the vertical cog rail or rack 50 and vthe horizontal vcog rai-1 or rack 50o with the section 50a of the inner curved portion o'f the cog rail or rack, I locate this curvedV section (which has a smaller radius .of curvature) on lthe inside, vthat ris toward the 'car I4, of the vertical and horizontal .sections (see Fig. 9). The -curved sections .50a are preferablyint'egral with the vertical V5I] and .horizontal 50h sectionsfof `the cog rails or racks.

It vwill of course be understood that, while I illustrate and describe only one side of the Ashaft- Ways, the cog rails or racks, transfer switches, etc., are duplicated on the other yside of the shaftways.

Immediately at the point of tangency IIB, teeth 'are omitted from the cog rail or rack 5I) 4and :are-provided'on the curved section 50a (see Fig. 9). Thus, the larger diameter vdriving gears ,lor 'pinions -42 and 46 leave the corresponding verticalcog rails or racks 50 yon which 'they ride :in thevertical up .shaft-way I2, at the point of tangency |I8 and 'the smaller ldiameter driving gears 'or ,pinions 66 and 'T0 concurrently mesh `with and ride 'on the curved smaller radius section 50a.

Upon negotiating the -curved portion of the track and proceeding in'to the .horizontal shaftway I8, cog teeth are again v.provided 'at the point of tangency I I8 on the horizontal cog Arail or rack 50h.

The 'section 50a terminates at this point so that thelarger 'diameter 'driving gears or pinions 42 :and '4B rare 'againl in :action :and not'the smaller diameter gears or pinions 66 and 10.

It will vbe lrecognized that the opposed curved `.portion :58a of the outer cog rail or rack 5'8 .has the :larger .radius of vcurvature and is therefore continuous with the vertical part of this cog rail for rack which las 'previously pointed out, is .not .provided in the .horizontal transfer shaftway vvI8 or in the upper storage space I9. In negotiating 'fthe curved section 58a, vonly the larger 'diameter idlergears 44 and vI0 are utilized.

The operation of the larger diameter and smaller diameter driving gears Aand idler gears is illustrated in Fig. 5, which shows the different .successive positions assumed by these gears as the l:carinoves from the vertical up shaftway I2 finto Ythe upper horizontal shaftway I3 (positions A, B and C).

.Exit Yfrom the upper horizontal shaftway I8I into the storage space I9, which is also used for transfer of the car into the vertical shaftway I6 through which it descends in the building, is blocked by the transfer switch, generally indicated by vthe reference vcharacter |20, and whichl switch. .normally fcloses thisy transfer shaftway'l against entrance .from .left to right, as illustrated in Figs. I and', to which :latter -gufre reference is now more particularly made.

The transfer `switch |20 is pivoted 'just below 'the transfer shaftway |13 at |22 :and is 4provided with A:the counterweight |24 `so that yit will vs`pon tane'ously assume lits normal position -as illustrated in Fig. 5.

The switch .|20 is provided with the arm |26,

'which has the upper'straight surface whereon the 'co'g teeth |28 :are cut 'and the .curvilinear 3), engage `the arm |26 of the switch 120 and press the latter in a counterclockwise ldirection about the pivot |22 (as viewed in Fig. '5`) to fopen the shaftway -I'8 and thereby permit -t'l-re car |4 to pass 'through it. n

The cog rails V50d are cut away 'at |532 (see 10) on the outside thereof to 'form va pocket in which the bevelled end |29 'of theswitch 'arm |26 is seated when the Ltransfer switch |20 is opened by the passage of ther car from the shaftway I8 into the 'storage'space I9. Thus, the 'arm |26 bridges the space between the co'g rails' or racks 50h (in the transfershaftway I'8) and thefcog `rails or racks 50c (in the upper storage space 1.9.).

Thus, there is provided an unobstructed continuation o'f the cog rails or racks from the shaftway I8 into the storage space vIS for the driving section of the cog .rail or rack-58d vhaving the .larger radius of curvature similar to 58a, and

on which the'larger diameter idler gears 44-and 1'0 ride. y

The lcurved section 50d on the inside `of the pocket |32 has a 'smaller radius 4of `ci'irvature and this part of the cog rail or rack is .similar to that illustrated in Fig. 9.

Thus, when the car I4 is reversed in direction,

v it beingunderstood that the vmotor 422 isa reversible motor, the smaller diameter driving gears 66 and 10 ride Von the 'smaller lradius of fcurvature cog rails or racks'dand theidler gears ron vthe larger radius 'of curvature rack ror'cog `rail 458d, formed by the teeth |30. I

The car I4 is thereby moved into positionto descend the building rin `the ldown shaftway I6, as illustrated by the position |'4e of Fig. r1. rIhe different successive positions ofthe driving gears and idler gears in negotiating :the Ypassage .from the horizontal storage space `I9 into the `vertical down shaftway I6 Vis illustrated in Fig. 5 bythe positions D, E and F.

As the car I4 :leaves the position 'I4`f (Fig. f1)

. it negotiates the lower Acurvilinear transfer .from

the vertical down shaftway I 6 to fthe lower horizontal 'shaftway 20. The larger diameter driving gears or pinions '42 and v46 ride on the larger jradius of curvature cog rails or .racks 50j `and thefsmaller diameter vidler gears '68 and :'I22on the smaller radius of curvature cog rails or racksv It will bel understood that the curved cog'rails or racks"| |f and 58j are similar in construction tothe curved cog rails or racks va and 58a. Referring to Fig. 6, the driving gears and idler gears are illustrated in successive positions assumed by them in negotiating the curve from the vertical to the horizontal at G and H.

Referring now to Figs. l and 6, and more particularly to the latter, the transfer switch, generally indicated by the reference character |40, is normally arranged to close oii movementl of the ear I4 from the lower storage space 2| into the transfer shaftway520', as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6. v

Upon passing the position |4g (see Fig. 1). the rings |42 on the shafts 1B, on which the idler gears are mounted, engagethe under-sides of the rv arms |44 of the switches |40, pressing them upwardly about the switch pivot |46 (in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 6) to open entrance into the lower storage space. 2|;

-The underside of the arm |44 along theisurface |48 engaged by the rings |42 is not cut with cog teeth since, as previously pointed out, the

idlerV gears do not function inv the lhorizontal shaftways.

When the car passesv away from the end of the arm IM into the storage space 2|, as indicated by the position vof the car Mh, it (the arm |44) returns by gravity into its normal position illustrated in Figs. -1 and 6. A pocket |50 is provided in the cog rails or racks 50g in which the end of the arm |44 is seated andiwhich pocket serves as a stop to prevent furthersrotation of the arm |44 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 6 (see Figs. 6 and 8).

The inner surface of the arm |44 is concavedly curved and provided with the teeth |52, which teeth are a continuation of the teeth of the cog rail or rack 50h and the teeth of the cog rail or rack 50.

The inner surface ofA the arm |44 is of the larger radius of curvature with which the driving gears y42 and 46 mesh and ride on.

The curved portion 58i connecting the rail or rack 58h with the vertical cog railor rack 58 is of the smaller radiusof curvature and meshes with the idler gears 68 and-12 as the car negotiates the curve from the `horizontal to the vertical.

It will of course be understood that the curved portion 582 of the cog rail or rackis similar to the construction illustrated in Fig. 9 for the section 50a and therefore is spaced inwardly, that is, toward the rear of the plane 0f the drawing, so that the arm |44 may swing inv a counterclockwise direction about the pivot |46, as viewed in Fig. 6 and clear the cog rail or rack 58i and assume the position illustrated in broken lines at |521. y Y l The car I4 may thus be moved from the storage space 2| on the cog rails formed by the teeth |52 and the section 581' to, ascend the Avertical shaftway |2 and again repeat the up and down travel heretofore described.

It will now be recognized that I have provided an elevator system for a building in which any elevator car may travel in the same direction in the same shaftway thereby eliminating a bank of elevator shafts while providing the same flexibility of service.

It will be further recognized that I have provided an elevator system of this kind in which encountered in prior elevator systems in -which the weight of the elevator car is counter-balanced. l

It will be further recognized that I have provided an elevator system having vertical shaftways and horizontal shaftways having-transfer switches so arranged and constructed that an elevator car may automatically travel from one shaftway to the other in one direction only.

While I have illustrated specific embodiments of my invention, I do not intend to be'limited to the specific details shown but intend to claim my invention as broadly as the prior art and the scope of the appended claims permit.

I claim:

l. In an elevator system wherein the elevator car may be driven in an endless path, a pairof vertical shaftways connected by an upper horizontal shaftway and a lower horizontal shaftway, a driving means in the elevator car, op

posed spaced cog rails in each vertical shaftway, a lower cog rail in each horizontal shaftway, a driving gear operated by the driving means and meshing with a first mentioned cog tioned cog rail of said opposed cog rails in each vertical shaftway.

2. Inan elevator system having an elevator car; opposed vertical spaced cograils for an up shaftway, a horizontal cog rail at an upper level for a transfer shaftway, a curved cog rail communicating at one end with a rst vertical cog rail of said opposed cog rails and at the other end with with the horizontal cog rail, a second curved cog rail at one end with from the second vertical cog rail, said first curved cog rail of smallerv radius of "curvature than that of the second curved cog rail, said iirst curved cog rail spaced inwardly of the first vertical cog rail and the horizontal cog rail at the point of tangency with the curved cog rail and means for operating the elevator car including a driving gear meshing with the first vertical cog rail, an idler gear meshing with the second vertical cog rail,

a second driving gear integrally driven by the first driving gear and of smaller diameter than' the driving gear and corresponding to the radius of curvature of the first cog rail and a second idler gear integrally driven with the first idler,

gear and of smaller diameter than the said first idler Vgear and corresponding to the radiusy of i an upperlevel for transfer of the elevator car -to the down shaftway, Aa curved cog rail at one cog rail for the driving gear, a second curved cog p rail at one end communicating with the vertical-cog rail for the idler gear, the radius of curvature of said rst mentioned curved cog rail being smaller than the radius of curvature of said second mentioned curved cog rail, the first mentioned curved cog rail spaced inwardly of the horizontal cog rail and the vertical cog rail for the driving gear at the point of tangency therewith, a second driving gear integrally driven with the first driving gear and of smaller diameter-than said first driving gear for mesh with theA first curved cog rail, a second idler gear integrally driven with the first idler gear Vfor mesh with the second curved cog rail and means for driving the elevator car including a driving gear and a second idler gear meshing therewith,

4. In an elevator system for an elevator car and having a pair of spaced vertical shaftways and a pair of spaced horizontal transfer shaftways at right angles to the .vertical shaftways, means for driving the elevator car through the shaftways including adriving gear and an i'dler gearmeshing therewith, a pair of spaced ver-` ticalcog rails in each vertical shaftway, one

of said vertical cog rails for mesh with the drive ing gear and the other of: said vertical cog rails. for mesh with the idler gear, a horizontal cog, rail in each horizontalshaftway and` at right angles to the vertical cog rai-ls, first mentioned,

curved rai-ls at one end communicating with eachv vertical cog rail for the driving gear and at the other end communicating with eachhorizontal cog rail' and: a second mentioned; curvedy cog rail at` one end communicating 'with the vertical cog rail for the idler gear, one of said curved cog4 rails being of shorter radius than: the otherV of said curved cog rails, saidA shorterv radius curved cog rail spaced inwardlyof the vertical cog rail connected thereby and the larger radius curved cog rail-continuing in-to the vertical cogra-ilV connected thereby.

5. In anelevator system-,for lan elevator car,

means for driving the car including a driving,

gear y,and an idler gear meshing therewith, an

up shaftway, a down shaftway, a horizontal'v transfer shaftway at an upper level. connecting said upand down-l shaftways',v a pivotedweighted member, normally closing; said horizontal shaftway. and opening said down shaftway, said switch on the upper surface-thereof having teeth for the car dri-vingl gear; said member being moved fromV normalposition to horizontaly position to open. said horizontal shaftway and close said down shaftway upon engagement of said. teeth on. the upper surface by the car driving gear and movement of said car over said upper surface. of the. member, saidmember being spontaneously returnableto-normal position andopen the, down shaftway, said. down shaftway being closed. upon disengagement. of said driving gear with said4 teeth on said upper surface, said: un-vv der surface of said member being curvedand teeth on the said curved under surface of the switch for engagement by theidler-gear.

6. In an elevator system havingan elevator car,l means for dri-ving said car-including' a driving gear and anidler gear meshing therewith, a. system of cog rails:` engaged by the 'driving gear and idler gears, af pairA of vertical shaft;- ways and-a pair of. connecting horizontal shaft*- ways and, weightedmembers having elementsrin'. valignment with cog rails of the system thereof,

said elements upon. gravitation of the, members normally closing the horizontal shaftways, saidg;

system of cog rails arranged in continuity in the shaftways,- said' members having teeth.- onA the upper surface thereof continuing with the teeth of the cog rails,4 said upper surface-beingstraight and said teeth thereon being contin uous wi-th theteeth onthe aligned cog; rails uponopening a horizontal shaftway,l saidmem-bers.

being curved on theV undersur-facethereof and having teeth on sai-d. under surface, said teeth on said under surface being, continuous with. theteeth. on. an aligned cogl rail upon opening a:

down shaftway having an aligned cog rail;`

whereby the; carl may be transferred from one shaftway to another shaftway.

7. In an elevator system whereinv the elevator car may be. driven in .an -endless path,.. apa-ir ofV vertical' shaftways. connected by an; upper hori zontal shaftway and' a lower horizontal shaft-v way, and a pivoted weighted. element ineach horizontal shaftway, an element. in said mem.- ber in the path. of travel of said carr` normally-1.

8. In an elevator system wherein the elevator car may be driven in an endless. path, a pair. of vertical shaftwaysconnected by an upper. horizontal shaftway and a lower horizontal shaftway and a member in-ea'ch horizontal shaftway, said member having an element to open and' close said horizontal shaftway, said member normally closing the horizontal shaftway,` each element having an4 upper surface a-nd a lower surface, one of said surfaces in normal position of the. member engagedr upon movement of the car in .one direction for movement of the car through the horizontal shaftway in said direction and the other of saidsurfaces in nor'- mal position of the member for engagement upon movement ofthe car in the opposite direction.

to close the horizontal shaftway for movement oif the car therethrough in said opposite. direc@- t on.

9. In Van elevator system. having a third rail, an elevator carV having an'. electric motor for driving the car, a power:A cut-off lever having an upper element and a lower element extending from. apivot at the,Y centerof the lever, the; upperelement offset horizontally fromthe lowerelement atl the pivotand azswitch for opening and The following references are of' record in the file of'this patent:

v.UNITED STATES PATENTS i Number Name. Date 561,223 Hamilton June 2, 1896 f 

